Introduction Arthur Miller is recognized as an important and influential playwright, not to mention essayist and novelist. Although he has had plenty of luck in his writing career, his fame is the product of his inventive ability to control what he wants his readers to picture or feel. His intentions when writing ‘Death of a Salesman’ was to help people identify some of the social issues that were growing, in a way that eases the pain they were going through. As one of his critics states, "Miller writes ingeniously, conveying the message that ‘if the proper study of mankind is man, man’s inescapable problem is himself’ (poets 1997). Miller accurately puts into words what every person thinks, feels, or worries about, but often has trouble expressing. Arthur Miller portrays Willy’s problems with family life, the society, and himself in Death of a Salesman. Many of Arthur Miller’s plays reflect or are a product of events in his life; he believed that American society needed to be made over; and for this reason, many of his earlier plays showed sympathetic portrayals and compassionate characterizations of his characters. Death of a Salesman is a play relating to the events leading to the downfall of Willy Loman, an aging salesman who is at one time wealthy, but is now approaching the end of his usefulness (poet, 1997). Miller uses symbolism to expand on the conflicts within the Loman family. Happy and Biff, Willy’s two sons, represent two sides of Willy’s ever-conflicting personality. Happy, who often receives his consolation of unsuccessfulness through women, represents Willy’s more materialistic side. Biff, who is more capable of genuine humanity, represents the kinder and more realistic Willy; he favors Biff over Happy. This plays a big part in fueling the conflict between the two. Because Willy favors Biff, he wants more than anything for Biff to succeed in life, and pushes him to do so. In the beginning, Biff agrees with Willy that successfulness is everything. The University of Virginia emblem on his shoes symbolizes his high ambitions; before he and Willy drifted apart.
One scene in the play is when Willy has a flashback of the hotel scene where Biff catches his "faithful" dad with another woman; this is what causes their father-son relationship to weaken. After this point in the play, Biff no longer tries to be "successful" like his father. This symbolizes Willy’s infidelity to the stockings. Because he gives the stocking that are meant for Linda to his mistress, they become a symbol of his infidelity. Every time Willy sees Linda humbly mending her old, torn stockings, he feels guilty for what he has done; therefore, the stockings are also a sign of his guilt and her humbleness. Another symbol relating to family worries is the mortgage on their house. In the hymn, Linda says, "…I made the last payment on the house today. Today, dear. And there’ll be nobody home (poets, 1997).” The house symbolized Willy and Linda’s 35-year struggle to own their own home and as soon as the mortgage was finally paid off, no one was left to live in the house. Miller uses these symbols to help the reader understand in depth the conflicts within the Loman family.
Another way in Miller used symbolism was to show conflicts and problems with the society. The setting of Death of a Salesman is a symbol that is society-related. Willy felt that the apartment buildings that surrounded their house was blocking out the sunlight and country atmosphere that the Lomans used to enjoy; this symbolized the feeling of being choked by a society in which they lived in (utexas, 1993). He denies the idea that his life is processed for him, that he is the product of society; in contradiction, critics of the novel state, "Willy Loman is only as solid as the society in which he tries to sell himself (poets, 1997).” A similar symbol is the hammock. The hammock that once swung in their back yard represented the earlier carefree society of when Willy and Linda first bought their house. Another symbol reflecting society was the fountain pen that Biff attempted to steal. That pen comes to represent everything Biff rejects about their society – not only stealing, but also the business world in general because of all of its corruptness. The emphasis placed on these social forces is what leads to the downfall of Willy, and the tragedy of the play (poets, 1997). As the reader sees, numerous symbols in the play enhanced the meaning of the work in relation to the society, which surrounded Lomans. In addition to symbolism relating to family life and the society, Miller used symbolism to expand on issues concerning each of the characters. Not only do numerous symbols exist in the play that relate to each of the characters, but the characters themselves often represent something as well. Linda Loman stood for many things, but mostly as Willy’s supporter and "security symbol.” While one has the sense that Willy is slowly losing control of his life, Linda stands as his loving wife who is always there to clean and cook for him, and to love him unconditionally; a woman of stability that will be by his side through the good and the bad.
Conclusion
Arthur Miller used symbolism in Death of a Salesman to enhance the story of the Lomans in relation to their family life, the society in which they live, and to themselves as separate characters. He incorporated products or events that were occurring or had occurred in his life. His intentions were to help people identify some of the social issues that were growing in a way that eased the pain they were going through. His portrayal of Willy Loman in the play, Death of a Salesman faced a superior source in the play and put his life on the line for his beliefs and the beliefs of others, this met Miller’s requirements for a tragic hero. Death of a Salesman also met the same requirements for a tragic play which was due to Willy’s role in the novel along with the other standards that Miller sets for a tragedy.

Reference:
The Academy of American Poets (1997). Retrieved from http://www.poets.org/poets/poets Contemporary Authors, (1993) New Revision Series, v. 40, (Detroit, Michigan:
Gale Research Inc. Retrieved from
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/fa/pound.ezra.scope